REGARDING the correspondence on obesity and smoking (Letters, April 9, 10 & 11), there can be doubt over the many health issues resulting from obesity. However, surely there ought to be little sympathy extended to smokers.

By choice, they indulge themselves in the poisonous weed; worse than that, many do not care about the dangers posed by so-called passive smoking. Smoking is in fact legally banned within the enclosed common areas of council-owned residential property and fines can be imposed on any person in default. No such ban is in force within the private sector.

This is a disgraceful situation and the enforcement of a no smoking ban should take effect in all properties immediately.

Tom Connelly, Glasgow G1.

Recalling a genius

WE are in need of a laugh just now, and “Haw Jennifer! Ma kirby’s fell doon a stank!” ("Bud Neill: Yaffayat? Whityatyaffa?", The Herald, April 13) certainly tickled my funny bone.

There is also the typical tale of the clippie who went missing, in 1927; they found her, down the back of a tram seat, when the tram was broken up, in 1962. Just Neill!

Your article took me back to the City of Culture, 1990, and a certain room at the Art Gallery. The reason? A Bud Neill exhibition; how laughter echoed that afternoon. Pure dead brilliant, as we say.

Brian D Henderson, Glasgow G 42.

WAS I correct when looking at the recent photo of the genius that was Bud Neill, that he had what appeared to be a pen in his mouth and a cigarette end in his right hand? I doubt we will see his like again, ken?

Carl Williamson, Largs.

Space invaders

I READ with interest your article on the boom in cycling ("Scots saddle up to beat lockdown blues", The Herald, April 14). It's a pity those who have "saddled up" have shunned cycle paths and roads for footpaths and pavements.

June Murray, Glasgow G52.

IN these times of illness my husband and I have been using our short exercise breaks to cycle in and around Glasgow, and two questions come to mind.

First, why are there so few street signs? Do we expect an invasion? If not, perhaps to help us all find our way around our local authorities could replace missing signs and developers could be asked to install signs when they are redeveloping sites?

Second, when there are so few motor vehicles about, why do so many motor drivers park their vehicles with two, or even all four, wheels on the pavement? Surely they are aware that not only are more people cycling at this time, but more people are walking and our pavements are needed for their true purpose, ie walking?

Patricia Fort, Glasgow.

Dropping a shot

ANENT Alan Fitzpatrick's slightly negative view, in his otherwise positive comment, on the sheep grass cutting solution, re what comes out of the other end of the sheep (Letters, April 13) , I recall 70 years ago as a child accompanying my father on his golf round. He always carried a paper bag, tucked into his turned-down golf bag hood – intended to hold the collected sheep droppings from the fairway for later use in a sock as an effective tomato liquid manure. Only years later did I realise this was not a golf bag hood's prime purpose.

Des Nolan, Edinburgh EH4.

Backhanded compliment

MY granddaughter Isla told her mum that she has been missing her grandpa’s grumpiness over the Covid lockdown period.

George Dale, Beith.